Automatic-control heating plant



March 16 Q 1926.

1,576,687 R. H. THOMAS AUTOMATIC CONTROL HEATING PLANT Filed March 9.1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 l l I I t l 1:; VB; IE5

March 16 1926. 1,576,687

" R. H. THOMAS AUTOMATIC CONTROL IIELATINC: PLANT Filed March 9 1925 5Sheets-Sheet 2 R. H. THOMAS AUTOMATIC CONTROL HEATING PLANT March 16Filed March 9, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES RICHARD H. THOMAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' AUTOMATIC-CONTROL HEATING PLANT.

Application filed March 9, 1925. Serial No. 14,033.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Chicago and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic-ControlHeating Plant; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the'same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawin s and to the numerals of reference marked t ereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a condensing and vacuum producing apparatus tobe incorporated in steam ieating systems to maintain the steam pressurein the radiators below atmospheric pressure to assure more rapid steamcirculation. It is an objectof this invention to simultaneously removethe water of condensation and any air that may have leaked into theheating system and to periodically return the water to the boiler at ahigher pressure than exists in the boiler, so that the possibility ofback flow from the boiler into the device of this invention will beeliminated. 'At the same time the entrained air is intended to beseparated from the water and discharged to the atmosphere.

It is another'object of this invention to provide an intermittentlyoperated device wherein an increase in the level of the Water in thetank closes an air relief valve and builds up the required pressure inthe tank to open a discharge valve leading to the boiler. g}

It is a further object of this invention to provide a quick-closing airvalve which will be accelerated in action by the energy and im act ofthe air discharging through said va ve.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an easily removedsediment trap and screen on the vacuum line from the radiators wherebyscale and the like will be separated from the water of condensation.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and accompanyin drawings.

his invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Fi re 1 is a side elevation of a device em= bodymg features of thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partly sectional view corresponding to Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a reduced section of the tank details not sectionalized in Fi3.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the removable screen.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section of the air valve.

As shown on the drawings:

A return pipe from a system of steam radiators is indicated by thenumeral 10 which leads into a sediment trap 11 formed in one end of arectangular vacuum tank 12, which is mounted on a sub-base 13, and whichserves in turn to support a cylindrical pressure tank 14. The sedimenttrap 11 is provided with a hand hole cover 15 and a blow off valve 16,the hand hole being provided for access to a cup-shaped removable screen17 extending through the partition 18 into the vacuum tank 12. A pipe 19leads from the vacuum tank to the suction chamber 20 of an injector orparallel injectors 21, which discharge into the pressure tank below thenormal water level therein. A check valve 22 is provided in the pipe 19to prevent backflow.

A motor driven centrifugal ump 23 draws water from the pressure tankthrough theconnection 24 and normally discharges through a connection 25and manifold 26 leading to the pressure nozzle 27 of the injector 21back into the pressure tank through the suction nozzle 28. A branch pipe29 on the discharge side of the centrifugal pump has a diaphragm typeregulating valve 30 therein which is controlled bythe pressure withinthe tank 14 communicated through a pipe 31, an increase in pressureupyto a predetermined point serving to. open the valve 30 againstspringl pressure whlch normally holds the valve 0 osed at pressuresbelow the desired point.

The pressure tank is provided with an air relief valve operated by afloat 32., The air valve comprises a cylindrical body 33 seating in asuitable aperture in the tank and having a depending yoke 34 to serve asa valve stem guide. A tubular valve seat 35 is adjustably mounted in thetop of the body 33 and can be screwed in and out thereof to vary theclosing point of the valve relative to the water level within the untilthe tank. The valve itself com rises-a disc 36 preferably of rubber orthe ike, adapted to contact the end of the seat 35 and therefore ofreater diameter than the clear diameter of t e valve outlet, and abacking piece 36 secured on a. valve stem 37 between nuts 38 to allowfurther adjustment of the closing positionof the valve. The lower end ofthe valve stem 37 terminates in a yoke having an oblong slot 38 throughwhich a pin 39 on the float lever engages. The purpose of the oblongslot is to provide a take-up or lost motionv between the float andvalve. As the float rises, it lifts the valve with the pin engaging atthe top of the slot. As the valve approaches its seat the rush of airpast the valve, because of its lncreased diameter and the restrictedpassage about the periphery of the valve disc, causes the valve to closesuddenly in advance of the float movement. Conversely, the valve is heldclosed by the pressure within the tank until the water level has fallensuflicientl to bring the pin 39 to the bottom of the s 0t 38, thuscauslng the discharge of conslderable fluid at each cycle of operationand eliminating hunting troubles due to rapid fluctuation of the valvewith slight changes of water level.

A control box is illustrated at 40 together with a vacuum gauge 41. Thisbox contains a vacuum motor control switch of well known form whichserves to maintain the vacuum within the tank 12 between predeterminedlimits by shutting off the motor and pump when the degree of vacuumreaches a desired figure and starting the motor again when the degree ofv vacuum falls below a limiting figure.

The operation is as follows:

Assuming that the apparatus 1s connected into the heating system ashereinbefore described, the pressure tank is first filled wlth water,through the air valve, to a point several inches above the level of theinjectors, in fact, the tank may be filled to the point where the airvalve is automatically closed by the float. On starting up the motor andpump, the latter, which has been primed by filling the tank, draws waterfrom the pressure tank through the connection (24;) and delivers it tothe pressure nozzle 27 of the injector which creates a suction on theline 19 leading to the vacuum tank and draws a mixture of condensedwater, steam, and air therethrou h from the radiator return pipe,discharging into the pressure tank where the steam is condensed and theair separated from the water, the air discharging to the atmosphereuntil the water level rises to a point where the air valve is closed,thereafter a pressure is built up in the tank diaphragm valve is openedthereby, when the pump discharges to the boiler until such time as theair valve opens again and releases the pressure in the tank as chec andfecte ing of the injectors during the time the pump is discharging tothe boiler, so that a continuous vacuum is maintained on the return pipefrom the radiators.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through awide range without departing from the principles of this invention, andI therefore do not purpose limiting the atent granted otherwise thannecessitated y the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described a p p ng system, a tank, a returnfrom said piping system to said tank, a second tank, a power drivenpump, a jet pump, connections whereby said power pump receives waterfrom said second tank and delivers it to either the jet pump or thepiping system,

a connection between said first tank and the jet pump, a floatcontrolled air relief in said second tank and an automatic pressurevalve 1n the connection from the power driven pump to the piping systemadapted to open in response to the pressure created in the second tankwhen the air relief valve is closed.

2. In a device of the class described, a piping system, a tank, a returnfrom said piplng system to said tank, a second tank, a power drivenpump, a jet-pump, connections whereby said power pump receives waterfrom said second tank and delivers it to either the jet pump or thepiping system, a connection between said first tank and the jet pump, afloat controlled air relief in said second tank, an automatic pressurevalve in the connection from the power driven pump to the piping systemadapted to open in response to the pressure created in the second tankWhen the air relief valve is closed, a motor connected to said powerdriven pump, and an automatic control therefor responsive to the degreeof vacuum created in said first tank by said jet pump.

3. In a device of the class described, two tanks, a pump receiving waterfrom one of said tanks and normally delivering it to the same, meanscontrolled by the pressure in said last mentioned tank for diverting aportion of the delivery of said pump from said tank, and means operatedby the stream created by said pump for movingthe contents of the firsttank into the second tank.

4. In a device of the class described, a tank, a jet pump in said tankbelow the usual level of water therein, a power pump and connectionswhereby the water in said tank is circulated through said jet pump, andan air relief valve in the upper side of said tank comprising a valvemechanism, a float valve, and a lost motion connection therebetween,whereby the rush of air past said valve willaccelerate the final stageof the closure of said valve.

5. A water tank, a jet pump therein, a ower driven pump for circulatingthe water m said tank through said jet pump, a float controlled airvalve closed by a high water level in said' tank, a branch connectionfrom said power driven pump to an outside receiver, a pressurecontrolled valve in said last. mentioned connection, anda connectionfrom said tank to said last mentioned valve whereby saidyalve is openedwhen the pressure in said tank reaches a desired figure.

6. In a device of the class described, a

' closed tank, a power pump, a connection tank, a second tem of plping.

from the delivery side of said tank, a valve in said second connection,means controlled by the pressure within said tank for opening saidvalve, an air relief valve for said tank and means whereby said reliefvalve will be intermittently closed to build up a pressure within thetank sufiicient to open said first mentioned valve.

7. In a device of the class described, a system of piping, a motor, apump driven t ereby, connect ons whereby the pump intermittentlydelivers water to the system of piping and withdraws water and airtherefrom, means governed by the degree. of vacuum in the system forcontrolling the motor, and means governed jointly by the water level andpressure for controlling the delivery pfwater from the pump to the sys-8. In a device of pressure from said pressure tankto a heating system, areturn pipe from 'said heating system to the vacuum tank, pumps inseries adapted to generate pressure in one tank and create vacuum in tthe'fclass'deseribed, a

pump to said, connection from the delivery side of said pump to a pointoutside the.

tank, a vacuum tank, a. supply pipe e other tank means for transiferringa portion of the contents of the pressure tank to the heating systemupon the" pressure therein reaching a mined value. a

J; 9. In a device of the class described, a pressure tank, a vacuumtank, a supply pipe from said pressure tank to a heating system,

a return pipe from said heating system to the vacuum tank, pumps inseries adapted .to generate vacuum in t tank and create e other tank,means for transferring a portion of the contents of the pressure 11].0116 pressure tank to the heating system upon' the pressure thereinreaching a predetermined value,and means for relieving the pressure insaidsecond tank after the delivery f f a portion of the contentsthereof.

10.'In a device of the class described, a pressure tank, a vacuum tank,a sediment chamber adapted to receive the condensate from-a heatingsystem, and a removable screen between the sediment chamber and thevacuum tank.

11. In a device of the class described, a

pressure tank, a float therein, an air relief valve stem having a lostmotion connection to the float, a valve disc adjustably mounted on saidstem, and a valve cage and a valve seat adjustably mounted therein ofsmaller diameter than said disc whereby the rush of air past said 'discas it approaches its seat will suddenly complete the closure of saidvave.

12. a deviceo'f the class described, a

power driven pump, a jet pumpoperated thereby,

situated,

sure within said tankto intermittently divert a portion of the deliveryof said power driven pump from said tank to an external point;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name;

' RICHARD H. THOMAS.

a tank in which said jet pump is and means controlled by the pres--predeter-

